Competition board holds defense in Google probe

ANKARA

Turkish authorities convened an oral defense meeting on Dec. 3, in its investigation of Google over allegations the company violated competition laws through its online display advertising and technology services.

The investigation was initiated based on claims that the tech giant abused its market position. It centers on whether Google engaged in practices that gave its own services an unfair edge and hindered competitors.

An investigator argued that Google holds a dominant position in markets for demand-side platforms (DSPs) and publisher ad server services.

According to the official, Google leveraged this dominance to favor its own services, disrupting fair competition. The Competition Authority was urged to impose an administrative fine on Google and require the company to take corrective actions to restore effective market competition.

Google denied the accusations during the meeting, with its representative asserting the company is not dominant in the relevant markets.

Third-party representatives, including members of consumer and media organizations, voiced their concerns during the session.

An official from the Consumer Union Federation alleged that Google’s dominance distorted advertising price competition, while media representatives criticized the company for a lack of transparency in its search algorithms.

They claimed Google’s practices negatively affected the visibility of their content, reducing traffic to their platforms.

The board is expected to announce its final decision within 15 days, with the outcome to be published on its official website if concluded earlier.